50 Most Powerful Women in Entertainment

At one point during her acceptance speech for best actress at the recent Academy Awards, Frances McDormand asked all of the female nominees across all categories to stand. To spur the audience into action she addressed movie legend Meryl Streep: “Meryl, if you do it, everybody else will.”

This small moment helped illustrate the respect and authority of one Hollywood figure. No doubt, Streep has maintained an air of authority and propriety since her rise to superstardom in the late 70s and early 80s. Yet is she the most powerful woman in entertainment?

To identify the person who holds that honor, 24/7 Wall St. has created a list of the most powerful women in entertainment. We have created an index based on a number of metrics, including net worth and online popularity. The resulting list also includes relevant data such as the number of filmed roles each has performed.